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IELTS USA

Staff and Higher Education Advisory Council


The IELTS USA team provides information and support to organizations that use IELTS to measure the English language proficiency of international applicants, and works with US stakeholders to increase the number of institutions and programs that use the test throughout the United States.

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The USA Higher Education team

The USA Higher Education team provides support to educational institutions and organizations that accept IELTS in the USA. This aim is achieved through on-campus professional development sessions, stakeholder workshops, presentations, webinars, and individual consultative services.

In addition, IELTS USA manages the administration of IELTS test operations throughout the US test center network by providing training and support to official testing centers across the United States. US stakeholders with general IELTS inquiries, Test Report Form verification inquiries, or score delivery inquiries may contact the designated IELTS USA representative.

Test taker inquiries should be directed to the test center where the IELTS test was taken. If you are a stakeholder or test taker outside of the United States, please contact an IELTS representative from your region or submit an online enquiry form.

For more information, please check the staff listing below.

Higher Education team

Kate McKeen - Director, Higher Education

Kate McKeen, Director of Higher Education, IELTS USA

Kate McKeen is the Director of Higher Education with IELTS USA where she leads all aspects of stakeholder relations with institutions of secondary, post-secondary, and professional education. Prior to joining IELTS USA, Kate served in various enrollment management leadership capacities in both domestic and international admissions. With close to 20 years of higher education experience, Kate is also actively involved with professional organizations that foster ethical and social responsibility in international admissions. Kate can be reached at: kmckeen@ieltsusa.org.

Donna Cameron - Associate Manager, Higher Education

Donna Cameron, Associate Manager for Higher Education, IELTS USA

Donna Cameron serves as the Associate Manager for Higher Education. She is the Regional Representative for the Western US and part of the Midwest. She has worked with IELTS for 10 years, and prior to this position, Donna worked in Admissions as a Director of Admissions Operations and DSO. She worked with International applicants, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Donna can be reached at: dcameron@ieltsusa.org

Bolu Oluwadiya - Associate Regional Manager

Bolu Oluwadiya, Associate Regional Manager, IELTS USA

Bolu Oluwadiya works with colleges, universities, and secondary schools across the Midwest and Eastern United States to make informed decisions regarding the use of IELTS in admissions and strategic recruitment. She is an experienced international enrollment manager with 10 years of experience recruiting undergraduate international students. You can reach Bolu at: boluwadiya@ieltsusa.org 

Marianne Schlickeisen - Graduate Programs & Research Manager

Marianne Schlickeisen, Graduate Programs & Research Manager, IELTS USA

Marianne works with graduate and professional programs at colleges and universities across the United States to help them make informed decisions regarding the use of IELTS in admissions and strategic recruitment. She is an experienced international enrollment manager with over 10 years of experience. You can reach Marianne at: mschlickeisen@ieltsusa.org

Additional contact information

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Higher Education Advisory Council

The IELTS USA Higher Education Advisory Council serves as an external review panel for IELTS USA. Council members are leaders in their fields representing secondary schools, undergraduate and graduate education, public and private institutions, and the TESOL profession.

The responsibilities of the Council include but are not limited to:

  • informing the Executive Director and staff about trends in higher education that are relevant to IELTS USA
  • advising the Executive Director and staff about IELTS USA issues, policies, and strategic plans
  • serving as an ambassador for IELTS USA publicly in everyday work situations, and at conferences and meetings
  • assisting the Executive Director and IELTS USA staff with introductions to specific non-recognizing institutions
  • being available to the Executive Director and staff of IELTS USA for individual consultation
  • recommending and recruiting potential Board members.

Christopher Connor

Christopher Connor, Assistant Dean and Chief Enrollment Officer for Graduate Education, IELTS USA

Assistant Dean and Chief Enrollment Officer for Graduate Education

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY)

Chris has been involved in international enrollment management for over 20 years. He holds a B.A. and an Ed.M from the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York (SUNY).

Jamila Everett

Jamila Everett, Director of Admission and Financial Aid, IELTS USA

Director of Admission and Financial Aid

The Webb Schools

Jamila joined the Webb Schools in Claremont, CA in 2016 as the Director of Admission and Financial Aid with over two decades of previous admission leadership experience. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Communication Management from USC and a doctorate in Education Leadership from UCLA.

Lindsay Gentile

Lindsay Gentile, Director of Graduate Admissions, IELTS USA

Director of Graduate Admissions

North Carolina State University

Lindsay has worked in international higher education for more than 18 years. She earned a B.A. in Anthropology and an M.A. in International Studies from East Carolina University.

Aaron Ghirardelli

Senior Assistant Dean for Graduate Admissions and Visiting Associate Professor

LMU Loyola Law School

Aaron teaches international law topics and supervises graduate programs at LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. He holds his law degree from University of Milano - Bicocca, Italy and an LL.M. degree from UC Hastings, California.

Kate Hellmann

Kate Hellmann, Director - International Student and Scholar Services, IELTS USA

Director, International Student and Scholar Services

Washington State University

Kate serves as Director of International Student and Scholar Services at WSU where she oversees a suite of retention services from ESL to immigration.

Kayla Landers

Kayla Landers, Language Specialist - ITA Liaison, and Instructor, IELTS USA

Language Specialist, ITA Liaison, and Instructor

Lehigh University

Kayla has been teaching ESL since 2009. She holds a B.S. from Slippery Rock University and an M.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Maggie Lucas

Maggie Lucas, Dean of College Counseling, IELTS USA

Dean of College Counseling

Marlborough School

Maggie has over 15 years of admissions and college counseling experience. She holds a B.A. from Rowan University and an M.S.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania.

Brenda Reid

Brenda Reid, Director of International Student Services, IELTS USA

Director of International Student Services

Cedarville University

Brenda has nearly 10 years' experience in international education. She holds a BA in both History and Comprehensive Social Science and an M.Ed., from Cedarville University. She specializes in high retention and culturally responsive programming to support student adjustment, engagement, and academic success.

Christy Riddle

Christy Reid, Executive Director - International Student Services & Student Success Center, IELTS USA

Executive Director, International Student Services & Student Success Center

Delta State University

Christy has 24 years of higher education experience, including 10 years in international education. She holds a BBA, MBA, and MSCD from Delta State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Andrea Stiefvater

Andrea Stiefvater, Director - International Admissions, IELTS USA

Director, International Admissions

Ball State University

Andrea has been involved in international education for almost 15 years. She holds a BA from Goucher College, and MA and Ed.D degrees from University of Cincinnati.

Ashley Tankersley

Ashley Tankersley, Manager - International Recruitment, IELTS USA

Manager, International Recruitment

Hillsborough Community College

Ashley specializes in international student recruitment and has worked in international education for over 10 years. She holds a B.S. from Florida State University and an M.A. in International Education from the SIT Graduate Institute.

Dean Tsantir

Dean Tsantir, Director of Graduate Admissions, IELTS USA

Director of Graduate Admissions

University of Minnesota

Dean has experience in international student recruitment, educational technology research, and overseas ministries of education. He holds a B.A. from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and an M.A. from the University of Minnesota.

Gil Villanueva

Gil Villanueva, Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, IELTS USA

Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid

Rhodes College

Gil J. Villanueva is the Vice President for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Emilija Zlatkovska

Emilija Zlatkovska, Director of IEP & Executive Director, Center for International Programs, IELTS USA

Director of IEP & Executive Director, Center for International Programs

University of Southern Indiana

Emilija has been active in the field of international education for about 15 years. She holds an MSc and PhD in language education, EFL/ESL from Indiana University, Bloomington.

Former Higher Education Advisory Council members

Patriece Campbell-Palmer


Patriece Campbell-Palmer

Director of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Management

University of Louisville

Patriece has more than 15 years of experience in international education. She holds a B.A. from the University of Michigan-Flint, an M.P.A. from Michigan University in Ann Arbor, and a Ph.D. from the University of New England.

April Crabtree


April Crabtree

Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management

University of San Francisco

April has worked in admission since 2008. She holds a B.A. from Eckerd College and an M.A. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Andrea Felder


Andrea Felder

Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Admissions

American University

Andrea has been involved in international education for close to 15 years. She holds a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; M.Ed. from North Carolina State University; and Ed.D. from North Carolina State University.

Becky Konowicz


Becky Konowicz

Dean of Undergraduate Admission

Santa Clara University

Becky has worked in enrollment management since 2004. She holds a B.A. from DePauw University and an M.Ed. from Grand Valley State University.

Maria Luis Landry


Maria Luis Landry

Director of Admission

Tulane University

Maria counsels prospective L.L.M. and S.J.D. students through the application process. She holds a law degree from Universidade Catolica de Lisboa – Faculdade de Direito and an L.L.M. from Tulane Law School.

Krista LaVack


Krista LaVack

Associate Director of International Admission

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS)

Krista has worked in international education for over 20 years. She earned a B.A. degree from Trent University in Canada and a M.S.Ed. degree from SUNY Potsdam.

Costas Solomou

Costas Solomou

Vice President for Enrollment

The State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo

Costas has worked in international education for more than 15 years. He holds a B.A from St. John Fisher College and an Ed.D. in Higher Education from the University of Rochester.

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